Page 84 of Spring Tide

I clear my throat, prepping myself for an answer I’m not going to like. “Where’s Elio?”

“He’s not home quite yet.” My mom’s tone may be carefree, but her expression is weary.

“Shocking,” I mutter.

“Give your brother some grace,per piacere.”

With a tight-lipped smile, I nod and drop the subject. If I continue to hound her about my brother, she’ll only grow more defensive. It’s difficult for her to acknowledge that the two of us don’t get along. And while Elio’s rebellion is a sore topic for me, my parents seem to close their eyes to his indiscretions.

Sighing, I guide Harper down the hallway and over toward the twins’ bedroom. The girls are lounging on a pair of beanbags with their door wide open. They’re hyperfocused on a tiny television screen, tightly gripping their PS4 controllers as they battle it out on some racing game.

I loudly clear my throat. “Mia, Vivia, this is Harper. She’s having dinner here tonight.”

“Hi, guys, nice to meet you,” Harper says, her chipper voice carrying across the room.

The girls greet us one a time with a simple “hey,” barely sparing a glance in our direction.

“Where’s our sister?” I ask.

Mia shrugs, sharing a look of pure annoyance with her twin. “We’re not her keeper.”

“Okay, guys.” I let out an amused snort. “Thanks for that. I assume you won’t be joining us for dinner, either?”

“Ew, no.” Vivia finally glances over, pretending to gag. “Mamma made that stew with, like, scallops and stuff.”

“You used to love cioppino,” I say with a raised brow.

Mia rolls her eyes, button smashing her controller as she says, “Yeah, well, now we think it’s gross.”

I rub at my temples, shaking my head. “Okay, come on, Harps. Let’s go find the sister that actually likes me.”

“We like you!”

Harper and I laugh at their indignant response, trailing down the hallway hand-in-hand. I eagerly peer into Giorgie’s room, only to find it empty. With furrowed brows, I guide Harper toward the living room and cup both hands around my mouth.

“Geeg, I have someone here who wants to meet you!”

Two seconds later, Giorgie bounds into the room at full speed, tablet in hand. One tiny arm wraps around my legs in a makeshift hug. When she pulls back, she taps through a few pages on her language app until she settles on a four-leaf clover.

“Lucky,” the device reads back. Giorgie stares up at me with brown doe eyes and a wide-set smile. The sight instantly melts my heart.

“Where were you?” I ask, playfully nudging her shoulder. “We were looking all over the house.”

She taps back to the first page, clicking on a few icons until she presses the read button. “I go bathroom.”

“Ah, I see.” I press my palm against Harper’s back. “Geeg, this is my friend Harper. I’m sure Mamma told you I’d be bringing a guest.”

Giorgie happily nods, dancing back and forth on her feet.

“Hey, Giorgie.” Harper braces both palms on her knees, bending until she’s at my sister’s level. “It’s good to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you from your brother.”

Giorgie selects a picture of a thumbs-up, which reads out the word “good.” She taps over to a page filled with photos of our family members, selecting Elio’s icon followed by a question mark.

“No, unfortunately,” Harper says, sharing a laugh with my sister. “I haven’t met that one yet.”

“Good,” Giorgie repeats, dissolving into a series of high-pitched giggles. There’s nothing quite as joy-provoking as the sound of her unbridled laughter.

“Are you having cioppino with us tonight?” I ask, knowing full well the answer to my question. Giorgie hates the slimy texture of seafood, along with pretty much anything that’s not prepackaged.

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